1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening and closing apparatus, more particularly to an opening and closing apparatus of the folding type which opens and closes windows by moving a slider along with a guiding part according to a movement of two links hinged connected with each other.
2. Prior Art
Generally, an opening and closing apparatus of the folding type achieves an opened state by moving a movable frame apart from a fixed frame and a closed state by moving the movable frame toward the fixed frame. The opening and closing apparatus of the folding type can be employed with a top cover of a convertible automobile or windows.
The conventional opening and closing apparatus of the folding type includes a guide rail fixed on the fixed frame and links hinged on the guide rail. Each link is folded over the guide rail.
The conventional opening and closing apparatus as constructed above is described in detail according to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 depicts the conventional opening and closing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional opening and closing apparatus includes a guide rail A, a first link B, a slider C, a second link D, a third link E, and a fourth link F. The guide rail A is secured at a fixed frame (not shown). One side of the first link B is hinged on an upper side of the guide rail A and the other side of the first link B is hinged on a predetermined position of the fourth link F. The slider C is inserted into the guide rail A to move along with the guide rail A. One side of the second link D is hinged on a predetermined position of the first link B and the other side of the second link D is hinged on the slider C. One side of the third link E is hinged on the slider C, and the other side of the third link E is hinged on the fourth link F. One side of the fourth link F is connected to a movable frame (not shown). A stopper G installed at the lower end of the guide rail A engages the fourth link F when the conventional opening and closing apparatus is moved into the closed state.
Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional opening and closing apparatus will be described.
When the movable frame is moved apart from the fixed frame, the fourth link F rotates about the stopper G in a clockwise direction. The first link B rotates about the guide rail A in a counterclockwise direction. At that time, the second link D is rotated about a position hinged with the first link B in a clockwise direction, and thus the slider C moves upwardly along the guide rail A. Therefore, the third link E connected with the slider C rotates about the slider C in a counterclockwise direction. As a result, the movable frame moves apart from the fixed frame in a predetermined angle and achieves an open state.
Contrarily, when the movable frame is pulled toward the fixed frame to achieve a closed state, the fourth link F rotates about the third link E in a counterclockwise direction. At that time, the first link B rotates about the guide rail A in a clockwise direction, and thus the second link D rotates about the slider C in a counterclockwise direction. The slider C moves downwardly along the guide rail A, and thus the third link E rotates in a clockwise direction until the lower end of the fourth link F is stopped by the stopper G. As a result, the first link B to the fourth link F lie one upon another, and thus the closed state is achieved.
A drawback with the conventional opening and closing apparatus of the folding type is that the slider C experiences wear from repeated opening and closing which causes unwanted movement in the guide rail A.
In addition, the conventional opening and closing apparatus of the folding type also generates noise caused by friction between the guide rail A and the slider C as well as friction between the construction members thereof at hinged positions.
Furthermore, the conventional opening and closing apparatus of the folding type has difficulty remaining in the closed state because of the abrasion due to the friction between the construction members at hinged connection parts.